As a holistic health & wellness coach and a relentless self-discovery junkie, I’ve decided upon a theory:

A thriving life is no accident.

Especially if you’re approaching or over the age of 40! I hate to put anyone in a box, especially regarding age, but just hear me out: If you look around and see someone over 40 who’s kicking booty in all (or most) areas of their life, they have not simply been blessed by the Thrive Gods. They have consistently done a number of things right (whether they realize it or not) to reap the benefits of that optimally healthy body, mind, and life.

The good news? You can do it too!

I like to think of our lives as being like a puzzle, comprised of different pieces (categories) such as nutrition, career, relationships, hobbies, passions, spirituality, exercise, self-care, self-love, effective communication, mindfulness, gratitude, etc. And it’s our consistent daily habits, behaviors, thoughts, and actions within these categories that will determine how much THRIVING we’re experiencing on a regular basis.

And with a little reflection and awareness, you can take an honest (non-judgmental) look at each of your puzzle pieces to see which ones may need some extra love.

Today, we’re going to start with what I think is the foundation upon which to build an amazing life: Nutrition. This is because if we’re not feeding our body what it needs to thrive, we can become exhausted, overwhelmed, moody, irritable, achy A.K.A. “feeling generally crappy.”

And if we’re walking around feeling sluggish a lot of the time, guess what happens to our other pieces to our “thrive puzzle”? They get neglected because we’re spending our time in survival mode just trying to make it through the day.

I can totally relate because I was that woman, approaching 40, feeling "blah" in my body, foggy in my mind, tired, overwhelmed, and achy. And I began to buy into the prevalent idea that feeling less than stellar was just part of the deal!

But that, my friends, does not have to be the way it is! And it’s definitely not why we’re here — to just survive the day and do it again tomorrow! I believe we were meant to feel passionate, happy, joyful, energetic, and loved. Feeling crappy at any age isn’t normal, despite the fact that so many people are feeling that way regularly.

So are you ready? Let’s defy the odds together, reclaim our power, and nurture our amazing bodies with the kind of fresh, organic, nutrient-dense foods they so deserve.

Make it easy on yourself and do your best to add in one or two of these foods until they’re a part of your weekly routine. Don’t overthink it, just take action and listen to your body as it gives you clues that you’re either moving closer to or further from your healthiest you.

This officially begins your journey in the “thriver’s seat,” so buckle up and get ready for some fun!